Method for determining a reliability parameter of a responsive system, and a corresponding signal processing system

• US 6,012,147 A
• Filed: 09/10/1997
• Issued: 01/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Areva NP GmbH (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Schulze, Werner, Waedt, Karl
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel, Jr., Robert W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Baderman, Scott T.
• Application Number:
  US08/926,718
• Time in Patent Office: 846 Days
• Field of Search: 395/180, 395/183.01, 395/183.09, 395/183.13, 395/183.15, 395/185.01
• US Class Current: 714/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 3/08 with provision for safeguarding the apparatus, e.g. against abnormal operation, against breakdown
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 9/02 electric

Abstract

A method and a responsive system for signal processing, particularly a system of the safety instrumentation and control of a nuclear power plant. A first database stores the association of the data processing units, data transmission units, and computer programs of the system, as well as a sequence of steps in the automatic signal processing in accordance with an integral processing specification. A second database stores in memory operating parameters and at least one reliability parameter of each data processing unit and each data transmission unit. The contents of the databases are utilized in a reliability module, which determines the reliability characteristic of the responsive system from the data of the first database and the second database. If and when the reliability parameters change, a transmission takes place to the reliability module, so that in each case an updated reliability parameter may be determined. As a result, the currently valid availability of the responsive system can be learned at any point in time, taking into account the high degree of detailing of the system.

Claims

1. A method of determining a reliability variable of a responsive system for signal processing, wherein the system includes a plurality of data processing units communicating with one another via data transmission units, the method which comprises:

implementing in the data processing units computer programs constructed modularly from a number of function components;

processing with the data processing units input signals of an input signal state, in accordance with a given sequence of steps specified by an integral processing specification, and generating an unambiguous output signal state;

providing a reliability module and processing therewith the given sequence of steps in reverse order, for determining combinations of error functions and/or failures of the data processing units and/or data transmission units which lead to a valid output signal state; and

linking the results of the determining step with respective reliability parameters of each data processing unit and of each data transmission unit, and determining therefrom the reliability variable of the responsive system.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the given sequence of steps is stored in a first database, the respective reliability parameters are stored in a second database, and the first and second databases are connected to the reliability module.

3. The method according to claim 2, which comprises, after each change in the processing specification, updating the first database and repeating the step of determining the reliability variable of the responsive system.

4. The method according to claim 2, which comprises, after each change in the processing specification of the data processing units and data transmission units, updating the first database and repeating the step of determining the reliability variable of the responsive system.

5. The method according to claim 1, which comprises, after each change in the processing specification, repeating the step of determining the reliability variable of the responsive system.

6. The method according to claim 1, which comprises, after each change in the processing specification of the data processing units and data transmission units, repeating the step of determining the reliability variable of the responsive system.

7. A responsive system for signal processing, comprising:

a plurality of data processing units and a plurality of data transmission units connecting said data processing units, said data processing units having implemented therein computer programs modularly constructed of a number of function components;

a) a first database with data stored therein concerning an association of said data processing units, said data transmission units, and the computer programs with one another and a sequence of steps for automatic signal processing in accordance with an integral processing specification;

b) a second database with data stored therein concerning operating parameters and at least one reliability parameter of each data processing unit and of each data transmission unit; and

c) a reliability module connected to said first database and to said second database, said reliability module being programmed to determine a reliability variable of the responsive system from the reliability parameters of said second database and taking into account combinations of error functions of said data processing units and said data transmission units.

8. The responsive system according to claim 7, which further comprises a monitoring module programmed to detect any change in the reliability parameters, and to deliver the change to said reliability module for determining an updated reliability characteristic.

9. The responsive system according to claim 7, which further comprises a monitoring module programmed to detect any change in the reliability parameters from a change in at least one of said data processing units, said data transmission units, and the function components, and to deliver the change to said reliability module for determining an updated reliability characteristic.